ed or taken prisoners, save a few, including Oliver Clisson, who
made their escape by sally-ports. Robert of Artois, with the Earl
of Stafford, was left with a garrison to hold the town. The Earl of
Salisbury, with four thousand men, proceeded to lay siege to Rennes, and
Sir Walter Manny hastened back to Hennebon.

Some of Sir Walter's men formed part of the garrison of Vannes, and
among these was Sir John Powis with a hundred men-at-arms.

The knight had been so pleased with Walter's coolness and courage at the
siege at Hennebon that he requested Sir Walter to leave him with him at
Vannes. "It is possible," he said to Walter, "that we may have fighting
here. Methinks that Sir Walter would have done better to leave
a stronger force. The town is a large one, and the inhabitants
ill-disposed towards us. Oliver Clisson and the French nobles will feel
their honour wounded at the way in which we outwitted them, and will
likely enough make an effort to regain the town. However, Rennes and
Hennebon are not far away, and we may look for speedy aid from the Earl
of Salisbury and Sir Walter should occasion arise."

Sir John's previsions were speedily verified. Oliver Clisson and his
friends were determined to wipe out their defeat, and scattered through
the country raising volunteers from among the soldiery in all the
neighbouring towns and castles, and a month after Vannes was taken they
suddenly appeared before the town with an army of 12,000 men, commanded
by Beaumanoir, marshal of Bretagne for Charles of Blois. The same
reasons which had induced the Earl of Northampton to decide upon a
speedy assault instead of the slow process of breaching the walls,
actuated the French in pursuing the same course, and, divided into a
number of storming parties, the army advanced at once to the assault on
the walls. The little garrison prepared for the defence.

"The outlook is bad, Walter," Sir John Powis said. "These men approach
with an air of resolution which shows that they are bent upon success.
They outnumber us by twelve to one, and it is likely enough that the
citizens may rise and attack us in the rear. They have been ordered to
bring the stones for the machines to the walls, but no one has laid his
hand to the work. We must do our duty as brave men, my lad, but I doubt
me if yonder is not the last sun which we shall see. Furious as the
French are at our recent success here you may be sure that little
quarter will given."